Flying-machine.



E. L. SIBG.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.16, 1911 1,049,927. Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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E. L. SIEG.

FLYING MACHINE. uruouxon nun AUG. 16. 1911.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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1 0 1 1 z u ad E. L. SIEG.

FLYING MAGHI APPLICATION FILED AU .1 1911.

1,049,927. Patented Jan.7, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

, .Za'zmzzi y EDWARD L. SIEG, OF MOSCOW, IDAHO.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

Application filed August-16, 1911. Serial No. 644,808.

straight vertical ascent or descent and for sustaining itself in the air without forward impulse, the construction and arrangement being such as to secure strength and rigidity of structure as well as an eflicient degree of stability of the machine in flight. v

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination and arrangement 'of parts hereinafter fully, set forth and claimed. and in which drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flyin'g machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig.

3 is a sectional plan view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on line.4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5.1s an enlarged detail view of one ofthe lifting propellers.

Fig. 6 is.:.an enlarged detail vertical section through the lower lifting propeller and a portion of its hollow shaft.

Referring to the'drawings, 1 designates a car or platform, of any suitable shape, size and construction. Suitably mounted upon this platform are vertical rudders 2 connected for movement in unison for steering the machine horizontally. The rudders are adapted to be controlled by the aviator through suitable connections with an operating device 3. A horizontal rudder for steering the machine vertically may be employed, although the height or elevation of the machine from the ground surfacemay be regulated and controlled by the lifting propel lers, as hereinafter described.

Mounted upon the car or platform 1 in a durable and substantial manner is a'bearing frame 4, in which are journaled the lower ends of concentric vertical shafts 5 and 6,

which preferably :turn in contact with antifriction bearings. The'shaft- 5 is solid and extends through and above and below the hollow shaft 6. Above the frame 4 the shaft 6 turns within a bearing collar or sleeve 7 connected with the car by stays 9 provided with turn buckles 9, whereby the two shafts are supported firmly and securely against deflection from their normal position.

Mounted upon each of the shafts 5 and 6 is a lifting propeller 10, the two propellers being arranged in superimposed relation with sufficient clearance for the passage of air between them. Each of these propellers consists of a hub 11 secured to the shaft, a rim 12, and a. pair of oppositely disposed quadrantal blades 13, said blades being arranged at a suitable working angle or pitch. The {parts of each propeller are connected and reinforced at intervals by stays 14, and each propeller is connected with and reinforced from its' supporting shaft by upper 'and'lower seriesof stay wires 16 and 17. The stay wires 16 of the upper propeller are connected with a crown flange 18 on the upperend of the shaft 5, and the stay wires .17 of said propeller are connected with a flange or collar 19 arranged on the shaft 5 at a point above the upper end of the shaft 6. The upper stay wires 16 of the lower propeller on the shaft 6 are connected with a flange 20 on a bearing collar 21 mounted at the upper end of the shaft 6, and between which and the shaft 5 are interposed antifriction bearings 22, by which said shafts -are mutually reinforced one from the other and maintained in proper relationship. The lower stays 17-of the lower propeller are connected with a flange 23 on the shaft 6 above the bearing collar 7. In action the two hfting propellers are revolved at the same rate of speed in opposite directions.

Arranged upon the lower ends of the shafts 5 and 6 within the'space bounded by the bearing frame 4 are beveled gears 24 and 25 which mesh with a pair of transmission beveled gears 26 and27 carried by horizontal transmission shafts 28 and 29 journaled at opposite sides of the bearing frame and extendm to the outer side thereof. On the outer en s of said shafts 28 and 29 are sprocket wheels 30 and 31 connected by claims 32 and 33 respectively with s rocket drive wheels 34 and 35 on horizonta drive shafts 36 and 36' journaled in said bearing frame and extending in front and rear thereof. The shafts 36 and 36' are coupled at their outer ends to the shafts of independent front and rear motors 37 and 38, clutches 39 'bein provided for independently throwing t e motors into and out of connection with said driving shafts, so that the motors may be independently or conposite directions, and by varying the speed to transfer motion to the drivin motor 'w tion, so as todecrease the resistance of the propelling mechanism to operation under of the driving motor or motors the speed of revolution of said shafts, and consequently of the propellers, may be regulated.

A driving propeller 40 is mounted upon a longitudinal shaft 41 carrying a sprocket pinion 42 connected with a sprocket wheel 43 on the shaft 36- by a sprocket chain 44,

by which said propeller is driven from the driving shaft. A clutch is provided for connecting the sprocket wheel 44 with and disconnecting it from the driving shaft.

In launching the machine from the ground, the motors are set into operation shafts and lifting propellers, to revolve t e latter at -sufficient speed to elevate the machine to the desired height. When such height is reached, the speed of the lifting propellers may be reduced until they revolve at the proper speed to merely sustain the machine in the air, and by means of the clutch 45 the driving propeller may be thrown into action to propel the machine! ahead. In landing the machine, the driving ropeller may be thrown out of action and t e spleed of the lifting propellers regulated to a ow the machine to descend slowly to the und. If one of the motors should stop or come inoperative from any cause, it may be disconnected by the clutch 39 from the associated driving shaft, and the power of the other motor ut1lizedto operate the lifting propellers, such power being suflicient to sustain the machine and operate the driving propeller, if desired, at sufiicient speed to maintain sustentation and a degree of forward propulsion under normal conditions. By the rovision of. the clutches 39, either lien dead, may be thrown out of ac the action of the other motor, and by means of the clutch device 45 the drivin propeller may be thrown into and out 0 action at will. It will thus be seen that the invention provides a machine which may ascend or descend practically in a straight vertical path, an in which provision is made to sustain the machine in the event that one of the motors employed should fail to work.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is:

In a flying machine, the combination of a car or platform, a pair of separate and independent motors mounted thereon, a vertically dispKosed substantially rectangular frame brac et mounted upon the platform between the motors, vertically disposed concentric shafts journaled at their lower ends respectively in the top and, bottom of the bracket frame, liftin and sustaining propellers' carried by sai shafts, a bearing for the outer shaft arranged above the frame bracket, bracing rods carried by the platform and supporting said bearing, beveled gears upon the lower ends of the concentric shafts, horizontal transmission shafts extendingthrou h the sides of the bracket frame and provi ed at their inner ends with beveled gears meshing with the first-named beveled gears, horizontal drive shafts arranged below journaled in the sides of the bracket frame,

aring connecting the respective drive iafts with the res shafts, clutch devices or connecting the res tive drive shafts with and disconnecting thz sam'e from the respective motor shafts, a horizontal shaft journaled upon the under side of the platform, a driving propeller carried b said shaft, and chain and sprocket gearing tween the said propeller shaft and one of the drive shafts, the chain member of which extends through the platform.

In testimon whereof I a x my signature in presence-o two witnesses,

the transmission shafts and I tive transmission 

